What 43 Hours Without Power Showed Me . . .

This week we lost power for almost 2 days.

CC BY-NC by sjrankin

The outside temperature was 90°F/33°C, with a dew point of 73°F. (I have learned that the dew point is a better indicator of humidity than “relative humidity,” and anything over 60°F is uncomfortable. I haven’t seen a dew point much higher than 73°F here, so this was nearly unbearable.)

On top of that, the night before the power loss, our kitchen faucet handle was about to break off. I called at least eight potential handymen (before we lost power). Only two got back to me. One said he could come the next day to fix it at 5pm, but then texted me at that time saying he couldn’t make it after all. At 5pm the faucet handle broke off completely. Two and a half hours later, with a lot of dishes to be washed from dinner, the power went out.

It reminded me of the children’s story I used to read to my kids: Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst.

For us, it was two days.

I can’t honestly say it was all terrible, horrible, or no good, though. Very bad, yes. But here’s how God helped me, and what I discovered about alignment, intuition and, surprisingly, electricity and sleep.

Hunting for the Graces

Because of what I had learned about how gratitude fosters resilience, I kept looking for things to be grateful for.

First: the storms that knocked down trees and power lines did not dump a lot of rain. With the power out, the sump pump would not have worked. Had it rained heavily, the basement could have flooded. That potential disaster did not happen, despite the storms that hit both nights our power was out.

Second: A handyman came that first morning after we went dark. He installed the new faucet my husband bought the night before. He did it in the dark kitchen, with a flashlight (bless his heart!). He left his phone and a screwdriver behind because it was so dark he couldn’t see that he’d set it down. Soon enough, we had a functional kitchen, which lessened the stress a little.

Third: A neighbor said we could put our frozen food in his freezer.

Fourth: We have a gas stove, so I could cook.

Intuition

As soon as we lost power, I went up to shut down the computer correctly. I have a BackUp Universal Power Source that is a surge protector and a battery backup. It allows your computer and peripherals to keep going in a power failure until you can shut it down properly.

Here’s where the intuition part comes in.

A few weeks ago, something was wrong with my computer; every time I printed something, the computer would shut down. I called techy people, none of whom could tell me why this was happening. I couldn’t figure it out, either, because the printer and computer were connected to different power outlets.

As I usually do, I prayed about it, and waited to see what would come to me. The idea that perhaps it had to do with the battery in my BackUp UPS (Universal Power Source) occurred to me. I ordered both a new battery and a new UPS, not sure which would have solved the problem.

It turned out I just needed the new battery, which I charged in the new UPS and installed in the current UPS. Now I had a new UPS that I really didn’t need.

Except that I had an intuition that I should keep it. Reason said I didn’t need it and should return it to get my money back. But I listened to my gut instead of my head. I’ve learned that my gut (heart/spirit) knows more than my brain does. (Read Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking by Malcolm Gladwell if you want to find out more about why this is true.)

Well, that UPS was a godsend to us in those two days with no power; it allowed us to keep our cell phones charged. This meant I could function somewhat in my essential work. I went to a friend’s house that first day, extra UPS in tow to recharge, so I could attend a meeting and meet with clients in a cool house.

On the second day without power, the BackUp UPS was out of juice. Though I had recharged it for two and a half hours at my friend’s house, it needed more time being plugged in.

I went to recharge my phone via the car charger, only to find that I had left the key in the car the night before when I went out in yet another storm to get more flashlights and batteries. So the car battery was also completely dead. (Stress messes with your ability to pay attention to what you’re doing. Maybe you’ve noticed that?)

BUT my husband corralled a neighbor to help jump the car, and I got just enough cell phone juice to last through a meeting with a client. She was very grateful that I didn’t have to reschedule, as she really needed the support right then.

During those two days, it was literally a moment-by-moment, constant re-calibration of what was going on and what to do. Should I go to my friend’s house to try to work? Was there somewhere else I could plug in the UPS? Should I see if anyone had a generator to rent? Was the food spoiling in the freezers? Dare we open them to find out? Should I open the fridge to prepare food or should we go out? Should I try to make that meeting, meet with this client? Would I run out of cell phone charge before I finished the Coach-Guided Code with my client? Should we go to a hotel? WHY wasn’t the electric company giving us any updates???

All this, amid sweltering heat that makes you want to lash out at the first moving target. My “flexibility muscles” got a real workout! My self-control was sorely tested.

I was concerned about sleep. How could I possibly sleep in this suffocating heat?

The Big Surprise

Here’s where it gets surprising.

My husband and I slept well, despite the stifling heat, despite the lack of any air circulation.

How could that be?

I recalled another time years ago when the power was out overnight. I remember thinking that I had gotten better sleep that night than I’d had in 10 years.

Could it be that the lack of EMF and electricity (much of which might be “dirty”), overrode even the discomfort of the heat and humidity?

I think it must be so. Even though we turn off our WiFi at night, electricity is buzzing, smart meters are broadcasting, and it’s likely our neighbors don’t turn off their WiFi. For two nights we were out of the soup of EMF—and we slept well. Despite the heat.

This calls for more investigation.

The Importance of Keeping “Plugged In”

One other point that occurred to me. There is a metaphor here in that BackUp UPS that was so instrumental in helping us get through those two days. The extra UPS had been constantly connected to power and thus was fully charged. Because of that, it allowed us to access that reserved power when we needed it.

If I, too, am “plugged” into THE Universal Power Source on a constant basis, through prayer, when I need that extra power to meet life’s challenges (from which I am not exempt because of my faith), I will possess what I need to make it through.

This too: the UPS my computer was plugged into used up all its reserved juice quickly, because so many things were plugged into it.

So too, when I have too many things “drawing from” my life, can I really absorb and maintain the reserve I will need to get through a tough season?

This is why I am so keen on helping you release those hidden stressors that draw too much potential energetic “reserve.” I want to help you get and stay connected to that Universal Power Source so you can align with your divine design and go through life in love, joy and peace.

Life may still be bumpy—the power will still go out at times—but you will have the resilience to get through it. And to maybe even gain enough perspective to see some of the gifts that came out of that stressful time.

The old saying is, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” I think God would like to be the one to make the lemonade. The hidden gifts were what refreshed and kept this this hot, thirsty couple going through those 43 challenging hours.

For us, some of the gifts were:

• more connection to neighbors and friends.

• support (my friend Louise was especially helpful, as she always is).

• a sense that God had indeed gone before me and was with me, that I didn’t have to be discouraged or afraid (Deuteronomy 13:8).

• we now have a clean freezer.

• confidence that I could find creative solutions on a moment-by-moment basis.

• even a gardening tip! When we went out to lunch that first day, the waitress told us her flowers and plants grow super big, and the secret was she puts lime in the soil (that white, chalky stuff). I will try it!

• this blog post!

God makes some mighty good lemonade!

The man-made power was shut off for a time, but our access to the Universal Power Source was not.

Plug in, stay connected, and let power flow!

And if you’d like some personalized help in doing just that, check out my coaching at HealingCodesCoaching.com.